Nigerian ports still on high alert for Ebola

Due to the reported new case of Ebola virus in Liberia, Nigeria’s Port
Health Services (PHS) says it has intensified surveillance activities at
the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

An official of the PHS told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on
Tuesday in Abuja, that Ebola surveillance activities were still ongoing,
since Nigeria was declared Ebola-free.

She said that all passengers coming into the country and those
travelling out were often screened before being allowed to enter or
leave the airport.

The official said that activities were currently focused on the
international wing of the airport because of limited number of staff at
the airport.

“We screen every passenger coming into the country and going out also
mostly at the international wing, because the Port Health Services is
short-staffed.

“The Ministry of Health actually engaged the services of volunteers
to be able to cover both domestic and international wings during the
peak of Ebola cases in the country.

“They were disengaged after Nigeria was declared Ebola-free; but
following the reported new cases of the virus in Liberia now, the
ministry is planning to re-engage those volunteers again.

“Up till now, if we screen you and your temperature is above 30 degrees, we subject you to secondary screening.

“We want to assure the public that we are thoroughly committed to
preventing Ebola from coming into Nigeria again,’’ the official said.

In a separate interview, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, the Deputy General
Manager, Public Affairs, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),
confirmed that the surveillance activities of the Port Health Services
were still on.

Yakubu added that even though the activities had been relaxed at the
domestic wing, the management has continued to provide hand sanitisers
in all the toilets at the airport.

She said that with the new discovery of Ebola case in Liberia, the
airport authority would redouble efforts to keep the airports safe.